


Got Me So Blind I Can't See

by trueromanticist



Category: Glee
Genre: Angst, Gen, M/M, Magic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-29
Updated: 2014-01-29
Packaged: 2018-01-10 11:58:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,711
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1159474
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/trueromanticist/pseuds/trueromanticist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>
  <em>Ok so a few weeks ago <a href="http://luckyjak.tumblr.com/post/72735625351/evil-prompt">this prompt</a> came across my dash. I haven't written much but I couldn't get it out of my head. Title from '<a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&cad=rja&ved=0CEAQtwIwAg&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DIPo9Gd2z6rI&ei=aObnUr7UIdTqoAS7g4HACg&usg=AFQjCNFHXJ9EVxBCph0lNcu7IlB-zx7_Pw&sig2=LIEwPaif9OQNPt8SELF0EQ&bvm=bv.59930103,d.cGU">Black Magic Woman</a>' by Santana.</em>
</p><p><span></span><br/><em>Beware there is angst, with no happy ending. It should be read as a fable :)</em><br/> <br/><em>Thanks to <a href="nachochang.tumblr.com">Nachochang</a> for being infinitely kind and patient with my amateur fumblings. ♥</em></p><p>
  <span>CW: Character death (not Kurt or Blaine)</span>
</p><p>
  <span>5700+ words</span>
</p>
    </blockquote>





	Got Me So Blind I Can't See

**Author's Note:**

> _Ok so a few weeks ago[this prompt](http://luckyjak.tumblr.com/post/72735625351/evil-prompt) came across my dash. I haven't written much but I couldn't get it out of my head. Title from '[Black Magic Woman](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&cad=rja&ved=0CEAQtwIwAg&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DIPo9Gd2z6rI&ei=aObnUr7UIdTqoAS7g4HACg&usg=AFQjCNFHXJ9EVxBCph0lNcu7IlB-zx7_Pw&sig2=LIEwPaif9OQNPt8SELF0EQ&bvm=bv.59930103,d.cGU)' by Santana._
> 
>   
> _Beware there is angst, with no happy ending. It should be read as a fable :)_  
>     
>  _Thanks to[Nachochang](nachochang.tumblr.com) for being infinitely kind and patient with my amateur fumblings. ♥_
> 
> CW: Character death (not Kurt or Blaine)
> 
> 5700+ words

\-----

Kurt’s mind was racing as he entered the loft after seeing off his father and Blaine at the airport. Tossing his keys and his bag down by the door, he picked up the mail on the end table and sifted through it before throwing it back down, unable to process what he was even doing. 

He kicked off his shoes and sighed. One would think that a surprise visit from his ex-boyfriend would be the hardest thing to deal with this holiday season, but Blaine was the least of his problems at the moment. 

Kurt couldn’t ignore that seeing his ex had felt so right. Blaine still filled his stomach with butterflies and a warm safe feeling, though he would rather die than admit that to anybody. 

“Ugh, don’t say die, Hummel.” he thought as he mussed his hair at the nape of his neck, his head pounding from the overload of emotion. Blaine was not even a blip on the radar of his problems right now. 

The only thing that mattered right now was his dad. Strong, protective, indestructible. Okay, maybe not indestructible. He did have a heart attack not too long ago after all. But he survived that. He came out the other side and even ran for Congress afterward. If that didn't prove what Burt Hummel was capable of, he didn’t know what would. If anyone could beat this, he could. He had to.

Kurt paced back and forth in the living room, straightening magazines on the coffee table, fidgeting with knick knacks, doing anything to keep his hands busy and his mind occupied.

Cancer. 

His father had cancer. He could be dying. No matter how much he thought about all the bad things that could happen to him or his loved ones, no matter how much he had played the scenes out in his head, nothing ever prepared him for an actual diagnosis. It’s impossible to wrap his head around. He was in denial. He felt strange. Like his emotions were too big for his body. He felt anxious and antsy and his mind was so full he couldn’t string together a coherent thought. There was a weight on his chest, a compressing feeling on his ribcage that prevented him from taking a deep breath. 

What was going to happen to him? To all of them? They were a family. Kurt walked towards his bedroom and pulled a photo off the shelf by his bed. It was a picture of him and his dad with Carole and Finn from last Christmas. Tears stung his eyes as he remembered the love he had felt from all of them being together. What kind of family would they be without his father? He was the glue that kept them together. Without his dad, what were they? Carole had already suffered the loss of one husband, how would she survive another?

This would devastate her. He had never seen his father as happy as he had been since Carole came into their lives, and he suspected the same went for his stepmother. They were so deeply in love it was almost sickening. What would happen to Carole and Finn if his father wasn’t there to keep them all together? Did he still call his father’s widow his stepmother when he no longer had a father? Would Finn still be his brother?

Kurt’s heart started racing and his breathing became labored as he thought about his father being gone. What would happen to the shop? Who would get the house? How could he go on with his life without his dad there to witness all his achievements? Getting into NYADA was just the first step. What if he wouldn’t be there when he finally made it to Broadway or maybe became a big time fashion designer? What about when he got married? He was sure that Carole and Finn would be there for him, but it wouldn’t be the same. He needed his dad there, he  had to be there. Feeling the grief wash over him, he picked up a vase on the desk by his bed and hurled it across the room at the opposite wall. The loud crash broke the silence as he slid down the side of the bed, cradling his head in his hands while tears rolled down his cheeks. 

It was not supposed to be this way. This wasn’t fair. He was supposed to get many more years of being his father’s son. More time to come to grips with his father one day leaving him. He had already lost his mother, been broken down by bullies, and cheated on by his boyfriend. Hasn’t he been through enough?

“WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?!” he screamed into the empty room. He broke down, sobbing loudly now. Clutching his hair in his fingers, rocking back and forth. 

“What else can you possibly take?” he whispered in a dejected voice. He sat there, maybe for minutes or days, he wasn’t sure anymore. He rocked slightly; arms folded around his knees, nose resting on his forearms. His eyes were huge and unblinking as he stared at a patch of light from his bedroom window, illuminating the floor in front of his socked feet. He felt-- numb. 

What was he going to do? He was convinced that it was some cosmic error. How was he going to survive this? Kurt Hummel was a problem solver and he was nothing if not resilient. He knew he would find a way. He had to. 

\-----

“Thank you, and have a nice day!”  the barista called out to Kurt, after handing him his drink. Kurt took the cup absentmindedly and exited the shop without a word. 

Kurt had spent the whole last night researching and googling different treatment options. There was tons of medical jargon and expensive procedures listed, but he found less than he hoped in terms of things that his father would actually do. He eventually stumbled across a website boasting herbal remedies and new age alternative medicines. He had emailed them trying to get more information, hoping they could suggest what would work best for his father's condition.

He pulled out his phone to check when he heard the ding of his email notification. After reading the response to his inquiry, he kept his face bent over the screen, replying furiously. He dodged people left and right, weaving in and out of the crowd, until he finally looked up and noticed he had wandered down an alley he had never been before. He walked curiously to a small shop with a weathered, beaten up sandwich board sign that had celestial symbols and what looked like runes written on it. The windows on the storefront showed old leather-bound books and candles on display with beads and crystals suspended above them. Pressing closer to the window and peering inside, Kurt could see many unusual objects. Pewter goblets and brass cauldrons, incense holders and decks of tarot cards littered the countertop displays. 

Huh. How curious. Maybe they would carry some of the herbs he was looking for.

He pushed open the heavy door with a creak and a bell chimed overhead announcing his arrival. The shop appeared to be empty. Looking around, he wandered over to a bookshelf on the left side of the room. He brushed his hands across the spines of the books lining the walls in front of him, as he did he read some of the titles, ‘Incense, Oils, and Brews’, ‘Tarot Cards for Beginners’, ‘Easy Incantations’. Well, this magic stuff was a little more than he bargained for, but maybe they had  _something_ that could help.

He turned to investigate more of the shop, but he stopped short when he saw a woman standing behind him. She had reddish auburn hair streaked with ribbons of silver, and tied up in a messy bun, with braids and beads woven through it. She wore a blouse with long flowing sleeves that laced up like a corset in the front, and a peasant skirt made of many brightly colored layers of fabric. Despite her whimsical appearance, she had a stern, piercing look in her pale green eyes. 

“Can I help you, young man?” she asked, looking at him steadily. 

Her gaze unnerved him and he flinched back slightly. “No. That’s okay. I was just looking around but I’ll be going now.” He wasn't sure why, but the woman made him uneasy and he really didn't want to stick around, he'd just wait to hear back again from the website he emailed. 

“I sense great pain in you.” She said suddenly. “You are in despair. You are lost in your head and I can feel your psyche clawing to stay afloat.” 

Kurt looked at her incredulously. “How- um, how do you know that?” 

“That’s what I do. Your being is radiating with it. I felt the disturbance as soon as you walked in the door. Luckily, I think I can help you.” 

Kurt scoffed. "Yeah, I seriously doubt it. No offense, but I don’t know what you could possibly do for me."

She looked at him, weighing his emotions for what she was about to do.  "Follow me." she commanded, turning on her heel to walk away and not looking back to see if he had listened.  He looked back at the front door and thought about just walking out, but his curiosity got the better of him.

Rolling his eyes, he caught up with her, steering clear of the many different objects that were littered around the shop. His eyes flitted across everything, taking in as much as he could as he walked. She pushed through a woven rug that hung over an entryway at the rear of the shop and held it open for him to pass through behind her. The room they entered was small and dim. The air was clouded with the sweet smoke from the incense burner on a shelf to his right and there were lit candles placed all around, wax dripping from every surface. He tried not to think all the fire hazards in this room. In the center of the room was a low round table with a brilliant purple cloth on it, and various different objects that Kurt couldn’t readily identify scattered across the surface. 

“Have a seat.” She said, motioning to a mound of cushions in front of him. He folded himself gently down onto the cushions and watched as she crossed behind the table and sat down across from him. 

She reached her hand towards him, "Your hand please." 

Skeptical, he placed his hand in hers. She turned his hand over and stroked his palm, nodding and muttering to herself. 

“What are you doing?” he asked.

Ignoring his question, she kept examining his palm. She stroked her thumb over a line and then said without looking up, "Yes." 

She dropped his hand and busied herself gathering different supplies in front of her. “I have the power to give you what you desire,” she said, finally looking at him. “You are worried about the health of a loved one, am I correct?"

Kurt started slightly. "What? How do you know that?"

"I told you," she said, rolling her eyes. "I could sense it the moment you walked through my door. I don't offer help to every lost soul who wanders in here but I could sense that there is something special about you. A quality that is rare in a lot of people. I sense that you have suffered a lot in your short life."

Kurt jerked his palm out of her hand. She was starting to freak him out a little bit. “How? What could  _you_ do?”

_“I_ would take the ailment away.” She said matter of factly “But, it would be costly.”

His heart caught in his throat. “What? Y-You can? How? Tell me, please! I would do anything! What would I have to do?”

The woman smirked. "All magic has a price, whatever energy you put out into the world will at some point come back to you." 

"Sorta like karma?" Kurt asked. "What goes around comes around?"

"Call it karma, call it what you will. An eye for an eye, so to speak. If I do this for you, you will be agreeing to that stipulation.”

“Which is what, exactly?”

“A life for a life.” 

Kurt’s eyes got wide at that. “What do you mean? A life for a life?” 

“Exactly as I said. If I save your father,"

"Wait, how did you kno-"

“IF I save your father," she interrupted right back, "Someone else will have to take his place. It is the cosmic order of things.” 

Kurt stood up quickly, upsetting the table and it's contents. “What? Are you crazy? Who would agree to such a thing? What type of person would knowingly sacrifice someone else's life for their own selfish purposes?" He asked incredulously, looking down at her. She gazed steadily back at him, and he looked away uneasily. 

"You know what?" He continued, "This-this is all ridiculous. I can’t believe I even allowed myself to entertain you and your insanity.” He stomped through the doorway, flinging the material out of the way. He walked quickly towards the exit, unable to breathe and needing to be out in the fresh air.

Throwing the front door open, he jogged into the alleyway, stopping to bending over with his hands on his knees, gasping for breath. He looked back at the shop quickly and took off towards the street, trying to get as much distance between him and the woman as possible.

\-----

Sitting at his desk and fielding phone calls a couple days later, he still couldn't get his mind off what the woman had said. How had she known about his father? Could she really do what she said? Could she really heal him? 

Kurt had to admit the idea alone filled him with a warm feeling in his stomach. What if just once Kurt Hummel could get what he wanted? Without the fight, without the hardship? What if this was the universe's way of apologizing for all he had to endure? Could it really be that simple? It certainly was serendipitous the way he ended up in front of that shop. Maybe it was fate. Or some kind of karmic balance realigning itself in his life.

What about her warning though? An eye for an eye. A life for a life. Could he really let some faceless person die to save his father? He shook the idea out of his head. No. That thought was too horrible to even entertain. He could never do that. What if it was some innocent person? A child even? 

“Oh my god. Get a grip.” He said. “What are you even thinking? Magic isn’t real. This woman cannot save your father.”

She had known things though, things she couldn’t possibly have known. Even if it was only the slimmest possibility, could he really walk away knowing that he hadn’t done everything in his power to save his father’s life? Shaking his head again, he turned off his computer and grabbed his bag. When he turned off the lamp by his desk, he saw the picture tacked to the cork board on the wall behind it. He reached over and switched the light back on to look at picture of him and his father taken at his high school graduation. They were so happy. Pride and love radiated from his father's eyes. He and his father had been through so much, how could this be the end? 

\-----

Finding the shop again proved to be slightly more difficult than he had first anticipated. He knew vaguely where he had been when he stumbled across it, but every alleyway he passed was deserted. Just when he figured he would have to give up and try again during the daylight, he made one last turn and saw a light illuminating the same dingy board sign. It was evening and he wasn't even sure the shop would be open, but he walked over to it without hesitation.

The door was unlocked and the bell above the door once again announced his arrival. He looked around, calling as he walked in. "Hello? Is there anyone here? Hello?" 

He bumped into a stack of books about knee high beside him and sent them crashing to the ground. Swearing under his breath, he bent over to pick them up. When he stood back up and turned around, she was standing behind him, still wearing the same outfit as before. Her eyebrow raised as she appraised him.

"So, you've reconsidered my offer?"" She asked, trying to capture his eye. 

He averted his gaze and swallowed nervously. "I have thought about it, yes." He took a deep breath to steady himself "But you mean to tell me that there is real magic in the world, enough to save my father's life, but there is no way around your stipulation? There is nothing else that I could do, or offer you without sacrificing an innocent life? That's one hard bargain. Aren't there any quick spells you can do with a wand or something?”

“This isn't Harry Potter child. This is the way the world works. There must be balance. Light and Dark, Good and Evil. If I spare a life, one  _must_ take it’s place. It’s like a scale. You cannot tip one side without there being cataclysmic consequences.”

Kurt was flustered and desperate. “But you are talking about magic! Something that is mystical and uncertain. Why can’t magic find me a way to save my father yet not make someone else have to pay for it. It’s not that person’s fault!”

“If it were that easy to fix all of the world’s problems with magic then you do really believe there would be so much pain and suffering? I warned you in the beginning. All magic comes with a price. This is the price for what you require. You either agree to it or you walk away and live your life always wondering if you could have done something.” She said, turning her back on him and walking away.

“Wait! Wait. Don’t leave. I-I-” He steeled himself, and took a deep breath. “I’ll do it. However, I have my own stipulation." 

He could see he caught her off guard when she started slightly and the corner of her lip upturned a millimeter. "Oh? And what might that be?" 

"You said a life for a life. If that is the only way and there is nothing else, I want to offer up the life that replaces his," he replied, raising his chin.

Again she raised an eyebrow and smiled. "Oh? Interesting. I didn't figure you for that type. Here I had you pegged as very moral, compassionate person. So who is it then? An enemy? A co-worker? Someone who cheated on you perhaps?" 

That last one stung, but he stared her straight in the eye and said forcibly. "His son." 

"Well, well, well." She said, circling around him, taking in his raised chin, balled fists, and steeled spine. "You are proving to be quite more intriguing than I originally thought. You do realize the implications of what you are asking?" 

"I do." 

"Very well then. If you are sure this is what you want. Follow me." She said, leading him back to the closed off room. 

Sitting down once again on the cushions she held her hand out for his and looked at him seriously. "This is your last chance. Are you sure in this decision? You can't return it like a sweater, you know."

Kurt thought of his father. He thought of Carole and Finn. He thought of all the struggles he'd had, all the things he will have to deal with for the rest of his life. He didn't want to die. But he couldn't bear the thought of living without his father. 

"Will it happen right away?" He asked. He hoped he would have time to call people, settle a few things. Maybe even make amends with Blaine. 

"Magic isn't an exact science," the woman said. "It could be today, it could be next week." 

Before he could talk himself out of it, he nodded his head and took a deep breath. 

"Alright then, I'm ready." 

\-----

Kurt lived the next few days of his life after his encounter with the witch (because she had to be, right?) in anticipation of his own death. 

When he had awakened the next morning, the first thing he did was call his dad. After assuring him that he was fine and then talking to Carole for a bit, he told his dad how much he loved him and hung up before his father could ask any questions. Then he sent a text to his brother. They had fun catching up on the missed drama of the new New Directions and that was something that never ceased to make him smile. 

Finally, finally he worked up the nerve to contact Blaine. 

From Kurt: Hey 

From Blaine: Hey :) 

From Kurt: How have things been since your departure from the fabulous NYC? ;) 

From Blaine: LOL. Ordinary. ;) 

From Kurt: I'm sorry we didn't talk much at Christmas. Too much went on, you know? 

From Blaine: Hey, no. It's okay. You were under a lot of stress. I understand. 

From Kurt: Blaine.

From Kurt: Why did you do it? 

From Blaine: Oh god, Kurt. 

From Blaine: I thought you were over us. 

From Blaine: I thought you had moved on. :(

From Kurt: I just don't understand. 

From Kurt: After all we had promised to each other.

From Kurt: It only took you a month to doubt me. 

From Blaine: I know I screwed this all up. 

From Blaine: But you know I never once stopped loving you, right? 

From Kurt: I know. I think deep down I've always known.

From Kurt: I wish I could say that I forgive you, but it is going to take more time.

From Blaine: I will be here. Take all the time you need. 

From Blaine: I love you Kurt. 

From Kurt: I love you too. 

From Blaine: Hey, I gotta go. Can I call you tomorrow? I miss your voice.

From Kurt: Yeah. Yeah, that's....I'd like that.

From Blaine: Alright. I look forward to it. Goodnight Kurt :-* 

From Kurt: Goodnight Blaine.

Kurt closed his eyes and tried not to think about what that meant. Was it selfish to try to make amends with Blaine after signing his life away the day before? Probably, but there was no way he could go without telling Blaine he loved him. Even if it hurt him more at first, it would hopefully give Blaine the peace of mind to be able to move on and live the rest of his life happily, and Kurt wanted that for him. 

He waited two days before he finally answered Blaine's call, from there on out he found himself scheduling more and more phone dates. They talked, they laughed, they rediscovered each other.

Every night he went to bed wondering if this day would be his last, yet each morning he continued to wake up. So he went on with his life. 

Kurt made a point to call and talk to his family at least twice a week, and kept up with all his dad's doctor's visits, waiting for the all clear. He wondered a few times if the witch had just been just a dream. As far as he knew his father still had cancer and Kurt knew he was still alive. 

He didn't even believe in magic anyway. Maybe believing was important in the success. 

Still he continued living, day to day, trying not to take anything for granted. He lived and loved more fully than he ever had before. The stronger his father got, the more he regretted what he had done. Things with his dad were good, things with Blaine were more than good (the slight hitch at Mr. Schue's aborted wedding notwithstanding). There was still so much he wanted to achieve, he didn't want to die yet

Then one day almost six months after his deal with the witch, Kurt received a call from his dad. He was scheduled for a doctor's appointment in a few days that would give him the results of the latest tests. Kurt took a deep breath and booked a flight to Lima to be with his family. If his father was cured he may not have much time left before he would be expected to fulfill his part of the bargain.

Two days later, he found himself sitting in the doctor's office with his dad and Carole, waiting for the news that would change all their lives one way or another. Finn had an exam he could not afford to miss, but he did say he was available by phone and asked to be texted as soon as they received the results. When his father got the news that the cancer was in remission, Kurt had hugged him and Carole desperately. He was so happy. His father would live. He would get another shot at life, a chance once again to be happy with his family. Kurt was ecstatic; regardless of what would happen in the future, his dad would be okay. They hugged and cried and loved and Kurt pulled out his phone and texted his brother and then texted Blaine, anxious to see him.

From Kurt: ALL CLEAR!!!!

From Blaine: !!!!!!

From Blaine: Kurt! That is amazing! I am so happy for you!

From Kurt: Oh god Blaine, you have no idea! The relief I felt when the doctor told us.

From Kurt: I felt like I could fly!

From Blaine: I bet! 

From Blaine: Oh! Hey! Speaking of flying, come have lunch with me on Friday before you fly back to NY.

From Blaine: It could be a Bon Voyage/Celebratory lunch ;)

From Kurt: Sure! Where at?

From Blaine: McKinley courtyard. Picnic. My treat :D

Kurt smiled and pocketed his phone and joined back in the celebration with his parents. He felt like he was on top of the world. Nothing could bring him down now. 

\-----

"Kurt." 

Kurt had been awakened by the ringing of his cellphone in the middle of the night. It had been weeks since he returned home and he had worked overtime to make up for some of the hours he had missed. He had not fallen into bed until around midnight and had been dreaming about his whirlwind last days in Ohio. What with his and Blaine's reconciliation followed immediately by the EPIC marriage proposal, which he still wasn't sure actually happened, he couldn't remember the last time he'd been so happy and carefree. It was all so surreal. 

He had picked up the glowing phone in the pitch black of his bedroom. His dad was calling at 3:00 am. His heart stopped. Swiping his finger across the screen to answer the call he had choked out a groggy hello before his father's anguished voice had uttered his name with a sob.

Kurt quickly sat up in bed, turning on the bedside lamp. "Dad? Dad, what is it? What's wrong? Did something happen? Are you sick? Is it Carole?" 

"It's Finn." 

Kurt felt his heart fall to the floor. He stood up anxiously, hands shaking as he paced his bedroom. "What? What's Finn? Dad, what happened?" 

"There's been an accident. It's Finn," there was a choked sob, "h-he's gone. He didn't make it. Finn is dead." 

"What? What do you mean? Dad, what? No! Finn can't be dead. H-he's at school. Ar-are you sure? Did you try and call him?" Kurt babbled pleadingly.

"Yeah buddy, we are sure. We had to go down there and identify the body. Oh my god. Carole just collapsed, I didn't know how to comfort her. I mean, how do you rationalize that? How do you go on after losing a child? Losing your  son ?"

Kurt's phone clattered to the floor as he stood, wide eyed, his heart threatening to pound right out of his chest. 

Son. Finn. His father's son. 

That's what he promised the witch.

What had he done? This couldn't be his fault. This was ludicrous. Witches aren't real. Magic isn't real. He had been desperate to believe, a quick fix, anything to give him hope for his dad. He never  _really_ believed though. Prostate cancer has an amazingly high success rate. His dad had exercised and changed his diet and followed all the doctor's orders. He had done the tests, he had done the surgery and the radiation and he was cured because he fought it, hard. It wasn't magic that did it. 

Magic. Wasn't. Real. 

Still, as much as he kept repeating that to himself, he couldn't stop the screaming in his head. The pounding in his heart. 

But What. If.

He reached down to pick up his phone, his dad's voice small and tinny, barely audible from the iPhone speakers. 

"Kurt? Kurt! Are you there? Answer me! Oh god, buddy, what's going on over there? Kurt!" 

Slowly Kurt put the phone to his ear and whispered. "Daddy. I'm sorry. Don't worry. I'm going to fix it." 

"Kurt? What are you talking about? What are yo-" Kurt didn't hear the rest as he hung up his phone and turned it off before jamming on some old boots, grabbing his keys and his coat and running out the door. 

\-----

Running around New York in the middle of the night was never a safe idea, especially around his neighborhood. Yet, Kurt didn't think twice before taking off down the street and running in the direction of the witch's shop. He had a stitch in his side from not breathing but he didn't have time to stop. Every second wasted was a second that might be too late to save his brother. 

Rounding the corner and running down the alleyway, he ran right into the door, pulling the handle and banging his fist as hard as he could against the cold wood. 

"Open up! Let me in! Please! Please, please, please, please! Let me in! You can't be closed! This isn't what I wanted!  _Please_ !!" 

He screamed and cried but the door remained unopened. Falling to his knees, he pressed his forehead against the barrier, sobbing in earnest. Lazily he slapped his hand on the wood beside his head. "Please, let me in. Please. He's my brother. This can't happen, this isn't what I asked for." 

Suddenly the door opened, pitching him forward. Falling to his hands and knees, he looked up at the witch standing above him, her arms crossed over her chest. Still sobbing, he dropped his forehead to his hands, begging at her feet. 

"Fix this. Please fix this. This isn't what I wanted. I'm sorry. Oh god, Finn, I'm sorry." 

The woman turned and walked back into the interior of the shop, leaving Kurt groveling and sniveling on the floor. Crossing behind the front counter where the cash register was, she bent slightly and pulled a bottle of water from somewhere underneath. She placed it on the counter and cleared her throat loudly.

Kurt looked up through his tears and hiccuping sobs and rose to his feet slowly. He ambled over to the counter and picked up the bottle, turning it over in his hands, not really registering it. 

"Was it me?" He croaked, not looking up. "Di-Did I do this to him? Did I kill my brother?" 

"Do you really believe in magic, Kurt Hummel?" 

He looked up at her, his mind too full to even notice she had referred to him by name. "I never did before." 

"And now?" 

"I'm no-not sure." 

"Tell me about your father's ailment. Was he cured?" She asked, motioning to the bottle in his hand. He looked down and unscrewed the lid of the water, taking a shaky drink. 

"He was." He said clearing his throat. "Did I make that happen? Did you make that happen?" 

"I told you before. Magic is not an exact science. What you put forth is what comes back to you." 

"I DIDN'T WANT MY BROTHER TO DIE!!" Kurt screamed at her. "I asked you to take me in my father's place!" 

She looked at him calmly and replied. "No, you offered your father's son in his place." 

There was a ringing in his ears and his knees grew weak. Grasping the counter in front of him he whispered, "No. No, no, no.  _I_ am my father's son. Finn was-  _IS_ not even his blood. This is a mistake. You have to fix it!" 

"Blood is not the only way to tie people together. Love is what makes a true family. And your father must have loved Finn as his own." She reasoned with him. "I told you, magic only gives back what you put into it. You doubted me from the moment we met. Tell me, did you ever wish you could go back on your word? Wish that somehow, if it was real, that someone else could take your place? Did you let your own happiness get in the way of what you promised?"

"I, I can't, I can't breathe," Kurt gasped, blood running cold and hyperventilating as he slid down to kneel on the floor, arms wrapped tightly around his chest. "Why? Why would you do this to me?" 

The witch walked around to the front of the counter and peered down at him. "I only did what you asked Mr. Hummel. You can go about your life choosing to believe it was all some unfortunate accident, a coincidence. Ease your conscience by believing it was not your fault or you can let go and realize that there are many things in this world that you do not understand and have no control over. The old adage about magic is cliché for a reason." She said, crouching down to look him squarely in the eye. 

"What is that?" He breathed jerkily, not breaking eye contact for once. 

"Be careful what you wish for." She answered softly just as he collapsed at her feet.


End file.
